Steven MEAD

International soloist

Englishman Steven Mead (B.1962) needs no introduction to brass enthusiasts around the world as his playing and teaching have become known to virtually all who have a love for the instrument known as the euphonium. As a soloist his career as a professional solo performer continues to break new ground. With over 75 solo performances a year his relentless schedule sees him touring almost constantly. This remarkable solo career followed on from the successes he achieved as a member of several of the UK’s leading brass bands. Nowadays he travels constantly and performs regularly with some of the finest brass, wind and symphonic ensembles in the world. He has played solo concerti with symphony orchestras in many countries of the world including Norway, Finland, Poland, USA, Canada, Italy, Japan, Lithuania and Germany. As a soloist he has played with most of the leading military bands in the world including Band of the Garde Republicaine (Paris, France) The Central Band of the RAF (London, UK) The Italian Police Band (Rome, Italy), The Dutch Marine Band (Rotterdam,Netherlands) The US Army Band (Washington DC, USA). He won first prizes at the National Brass Band Championships in London’s Royal Albert Hall on four occasions, as well as the Euphonium Player of the Year on two occasions and the best soloist in the BBC TV series Best of Brass on two occasions.

He has been described as one of the world’s most recorded solo brass artists with over 65 CDs to his credit. In addition, his strong contribution to education literature for the euphonium is unmatched, such as specialist publications by publishers such as DeHaske and Studio Music. He is the owner of a music label, Bocchino Music which produces and distributes his albums. As an innovator for the whole ‘low brass’ world in general, he has been the Artistic Director of all 6 of the National Tuba / Euphonium Conferences, held in the UK. He was also the Artistic Director of the highly successful International Tuba Euphonium Conference (ITEC), held in Linz, Austria in June 2012. He has also given concert tours with several leading professional chamber ensembles in Europe, including Sound-Inn-Brass (Austria), Spanish Brass Quintet, Classic Quintet (Bolzano,Italy), Trombonisti Italiani (Italy) and London Brass. His innovation is also evident with his premiere performances of new concerti and major works by Martin Ellerby, Philip Sparke, Torstein Aagaard Nilsen, Tadeusz Kassatti, John Reeman, Derek Bourgeois, Vladimir Cosma, Rolf Rudin, Thomas Dos, Howard Snell, Hermann Pallhuber, Stephen Roberts, to name but a few. To date he has given over 500 world premiere performances.

He is also well known and respected by his high profile work in brass pedagogy. He is the Professor of Euphonium the Royal Northern College of Music, in Manchester UK and also at teaches at several specialist schools across Europe, and in Japan. He was recently given the award of Fellow of the RNCM . He has been responsible for the first ever euphonium masterclasses in Italy, Portugal, Lithuania, Slovenia, Russia, Austria and Croatia. Students from all around the world come to study with him the UK and many of them have gone on to enjoy top professional careers. As a designer and instrument consultant Steven has worked with Besson for over twenty five years and fells honoured to have an important role with Besson under the control of Buffet Crampon. His collaboration with the Denis Wick company has resulted in two highly successful lines of euphonium and baritone mouthpieces and the SM Travel Mute. His webstore www.euphoniumstore.net is very popular with brass enthusiasts. He has also been an adjudicator at some of the leading brass band, wind band and solo contests, including the British Open Brass Band Championships in 2007.

Many commentators suggest it is Steven’s vocal background (from the age of 6) that is responsible for the truly unique beauty of his euphonium tone. His rich expressive approach to musical performance has been admired by professional musicians around the world and as a result Steven is performing increasingly with orchestras and chamber ensembles in addition to brass and wind bands. His concerts and recitals are hallmarked by a unique communication between artist and audience.